In your hands, all manner of devices work better than they work for anyone else. Locks seem to open at your touch, and no one can retrieve data from a computer faster than you. Also, attempting to use devices against you is often futile: guns misfire, cell phones are suddenly outside their calling area, and cars pursuing you have an alarming tendency to stall.
—Electronic Tinkerer, Mage: The Ascension - Tradition Book: Dreamspeakers (revised)
The tech was part of her. It was extra nerves pushing out beyond her skin's limits. It was enormous, heavy, intricate antlers coming out of her head. The CCPD was way more wired up than any of the malls or shopping centers Nate had set their training exercises in. A thousand network connections were dotted through the place, lamps hanging burning from the antlers, planes in holding patterns shouting Crash me, crash me!
I've been talking to this TV and I gotta tell you, Chuck, he isn't doing your team any favours. Apparently a gambling father, sex-addict mother, stealing daughter and torturing son threw him out after years of service. Who does that? Look, I forgive you. I almost remember not being responsible for the actions of my fellow beings. But the TV, you know he just can't let it go, and who can blame him? He wants some revenge and I gotta say, I feel kinda obligated.
After all, I used to be one of you.
Whaddaya think, Chuck? I'll set him up with a couple of other guys I know - I met this really nasty traffic sign when I was chatting with the trash pile and they'd be just perfect for each other.
Besides, Gaia has like, eight of these things roaming around. I'm just making one.
After all, I used to be one of you.
Whaddaya think, Chuck? I'll set him up with a couple of other guys I know - I met this really nasty traffic sign when I was chatting with the trash pile and they'd be just perfect for each other.
Besides, Gaia has like, eight of these things roaming around. I'm just making one.
Funny, huh? I can't move my legs, but I can move a half-ton truck. And all sorts of other interesting things, like loading dock doors and motorcycle gears, without having to lift so much as a finger. Guess somebody up there is looking out for me. You won't take me out with machines, machines serve me.
— Harry Beeman, Painkiller Jane ("Ghost in the Machine")
